§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the number of people employed (i) full-time and (ii) part-time(a) by the House of Commons and (b) by an outside agency but working at the House of Commons as of 1 January 1990.
§ Mr. Beith(on behalf of the House of Commons Commission): A total of 832 full-time and 166 part-time staff, and three agency secretarial staff were employed by the House of Commons Commission on 1 January 1990. In addition, agency staff are employed on a regular basis in the Refreshment Department to cover absences and to assist at functions. An average of 11 such agency staff were employed on each working day during January. These figures do not include full-time and part-time staff employed in the House of Commons by agencies such as the Parliamentary Works Office, the Metropolitan police and Post Office, who are not the direct responsibility of the Commission.